Accentuate the positive

Q. Why is it important to consider the effect of emotions in the workplace?

Emotions in daily life play a big role for us all. We can express our emotions with words and also with our body language. Sometimes I do not need to use any words to make somebody sad. So, emotions affect us everywhere. We spend most of our day in our working environment so it is important to pay attention to how we interact with our colleagues and clients. Emotions at work depend on internal factors such as leadership, team members, payment and rewards, but external factors are important too. These could include our personal life, including relations with our friends and family. Everybody’s personality is different, so we react and express things in a different way, be that through positive or negative emotions.

Q. What effect do positive and negative emotions have in a workplace?

Positive emotions are the ones that increase work productivity. If employees are satisfied, either because of their work, or their personal life, it results in effectiveness, creativity and willingness to do their work as best as they can. Each person strives to be appreciated, and wants to feel good at the job they are doing, and have a great work environment. So, managers have a really important role in motivating their staff, recognising their achievements and rewarding them. This all creates positivity. Negative emotions have the opposite effect. Problems can start with work overload or if the employee starts to feel that they lack support or a clear vision of what they have to do, which creates stress and demotivation. This can raise conflicts in the team and damage relationships between colleagues. It also decreases creativity and the ability to contribute.

Q. How can we create a positive environment at work and at events?

We have to remember to provide social support to each employee. For example, if someone comes to you to ask what may seem like a silly, or obvious, question, don’t make them feel bad. Use the opportunity to answer it properly and build trust between the two of you. Your colleague will be happy that he is not alone in his work and that he has helpful colleagues around him. You have created a positive work environment. Provide clearly defined goals and work plans. If we have clear vision of what is demanded of us and our goals, we can better plan our work time and find the best solutions. If possible, ask each employee to do some physical activities. Exercise is a great stress reliever and can help turn bad emotions into positive feelings. If you can do these activities together, even better. It can be a small team-building exercise. Remember to always say ‘thank you’ to each other. It creates a smile on someone’s face and lets them think that their work has been appreciated. As much as possible, make humour an important part of your work day.

Q. Are companies more aware of the importance of looking after the well-being of workers and delegates?

A. Working with an international team-building company, I can say that nowadays most companies think of how to build a nicer, better and more positive work environment. Company managers and human resource managers are looking for the best ways to motivate and increase productivity, creativity and work effectiveness. This means they are always looking for different options and different approaches to increase their employee well being.

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